Owens Corning SureNail Technology: Superior Wind Protection for Long Island Roofs

The Science Behind Triple Layer Protection

Owens Corning calls SureNail’s reinforcement system “Triple Layer Protection,” and the name accurately describes what’s happening. When Duration shingles are properly installed, three distinct layers create exceptional holding power in the nailing zone.

The first layer is the SureNail fabric strip itself—a woven reinforcing material that’s tough enough to require special cutting tools yet flexible enough to conform to roof contours during installation.

The second layer comes from the common bond area where the top shingle overlaps the shingle below it. On standard architectural shingles, this overlap provides some reinforcement, but not much. With SureNail shingles, the fabric strip on the lower shingle aligns with the nailing zone of the upper shingle, creating a second layer of reinforcement.

The third layer is Owens Corning’s TruBond sealant, a specially formulated adhesive that creates exceptionally strong bonds. When the SureNail strip makes contact with TruBond sealant on the shingle below, it forms a mechanical grip that significantly exceeds typical thermal-seal bonds. This triple-layer combination—fabric, common bond, and enhanced sealant—creates holding power that independent testing shows can be up to 300% stronger than conventional shingles.

Wind Resistance Performance

The practical result of SureNail Technology is exceptional wind resistance. Owens Corning Duration shingles with SureNail carry wind warranties up to 130 mph when installed as part of a qualifying roofing system—that’s enough to withstand a Category 3 hurricane.

These aren’t theoretical laboratory claims. The wind resistance comes from real-world performance validated through rigorous testing.

Owens Corning subjects SureNail shingles to ASTM D7158 Class H wind testing, which involves sustained high-speed airflow combined with cyclic pressure changes that simulate extreme storm conditions. Duration shingles consistently achieve the industry’s highest wind ratings.

For Long Island homeowners, this performance translates to peace of mind during coastal storms, nor’easters, and severe thunderstorms. Our location on the Atlantic coast means powerful winds are a regular occurrence, not a rare event. Installing shingles that can withstand these forces isn’t excessive—it’s appropriate engineering for our environment.

County Roofing Systems has inspected hundreds of roofs after major storms. Time and again, we’ve seen properties with Duration SureNail shingles come through intact while neighboring homes with standard shingles suffered partial or complete blow-off. The difference in storm damage repair costs can easily exceed $10,000—far more than the marginal cost of choosing SureNail protection initially.

Installation Advantages

SureNail Technology doesn’t just benefit homeowners—it makes installation faster, easier, and more reliable for professional roofers. The visible fabric strip creates a “no-guess” nailing zone that’s impossible to miss.

On standard shingles, the acceptable nailing zone is often an unmarked area several inches wide. Installers must estimate the correct placement, and variations in nailing height can affect performance and warranty coverage.

Nail too low, and you risk exposed nail heads that can leak. Nail too high, and shingles may not bond properly or resist wind uplift.

With SureNail Technology, the reinforced strip provides a clear, visual target. Our installation crews can immediately see exactly where nails should go. This leads to consistently accurate installations—in GAF’s testing, roofers achieved 99.9% nailing accuracy with similar reinforced-zone shingles (999 out of 1,000 nails placed correctly).

Faster, more accurate installation means lower labor costs and fewer callbacks for issues related to improper fastening. For a typical Long Island home, the installation time savings can offset a significant portion of any material cost difference between standard and SureNail shingles.

Fewer Nails, Better Protection

One of SureNail’s most impressive performance characteristics is achieving superior wind resistance with fewer fasteners. Duration shingles with SureNail require only four nails per shingle to achieve 130 mph wind warranty protection. Standard architectural shingles typically require six nails to achieve much lower wind ratings.

Using 33% fewer nails per shingle might seem counterintuitive if you’re thinking purely about quantity. But it’s the quality of attachment that matters, not just the number of fasteners. The reinforced nailing zone distributes forces so effectively that four properly placed nails in the SureNail strip outperform six nails placed anywhere in a standard shingle.

Fewer nail penetrations means fewer potential leak points through your roof deck. Every nail creates a small hole where water could potentially infiltrate if the seal fails. Reducing nail count by one-third while improving wind resistance is a genuine engineering achievement.

For coastal Long Island properties in high-wind zones, this combination of superior performance with reduced penetrations represents best-in-class roofing technology.

Enhanced Durability and Longevity

Wind resistance is SureNail’s headline benefit, but the technology delivers other performance advantages that extend your roof’s service life.

The reinforced nailing zone reduces nail tear-through not just during extreme wind events, but also during thermal expansion and contraction cycles. As your roof heats up and cools down daily, shingles expand and contract slightly.

Over years, this movement creates stress at nail points. The SureNail fabric better resists this gradual stress, reducing the micro-tears and distortions that can develop over time.

The visual nailing guide reduces installation errors that might otherwise shorten roof life. Nails placed too low can create exposed fasteners vulnerable to corrosion and leaks.

Nails placed too high may not properly secure shingles. By ensuring consistent, correct placement, SureNail helps installations achieve their full design life.

The enhanced bond between SureNail fabric and TruBond sealant also resists shingle creep—the gradual downward movement of shingles that can occur on steep slopes. This maintains proper exposure and overlap throughout the roof’s life.